Annual Report from the Vice President, Director of Administration - 2013

[sihinch]

Greg Cadez and I filled the position in 2013 and worked to keep Rogo Field a safe, happy and fun Flying Field.

Field Maintenance
Spring Cleanup Day 2013, and weekly grass cutting continued.  A proper windsock was purchased and installed.
The ad hoc Field Improvement Committee (Simon Hinchcliffe, Greg Cadez, Ken Ross and Bill Quantock) began discussions about a Geotex Runway at Rogo Field early in the spring of 2013. The committee researched Geotex for use at Rogo Field, a report was presented to the Board of Directors and the Board visited Keswick Model Airplane Club to discuss, examine and actually try out Geotex first hand. TEMAC's Board of Directors deserves to be congratulated for its open mindedness in making this effort. This process resulted in the Board approving $1500 towards the installation of Geotex material at Rogo Field in 2014, contingent on a final review of the Keswick runway after winter.
In the fall Greg handed the position to me. The board approved money for gravel for the driveway and parking lot. This was added on October 10, 2013 and improved the parking area especially in wet weather. We expect to add more gravel next season.

Safety and Security
We will be reviewing safety and security procedures for the 2014 season.

Training
Congratulations to Mike Hazelton CFI for running an outstanding wings program, cited as exemplary by other clubs. A report of the 2013 Wings program is included in the President's Annual Report.

2014 Objectives-Spring Cleanup Day including grass improvement (date TBA)
-grass cutting (schedule as per 2013)
-gravel  as needed
-Geotex Installation Day(date TBA)
-review of safety and security procedures

Respectfully,
Bill Quantock

[Papa]

Way to go Bill, thank you for the report and your efforts to give us a great site to fly our models.

Jack.

[wollins]

Hey Bill,

As someone who has experienced the Geotex runway first hand, would you say it is as "sticky" as a grass runway or less? Plan on flying a flying boat (or two) off the ground next season and it'll probably need all the help it can get to get off the ground.   

Colin 

[Wingnutz]

Hey Collin,
Pretty much all the Board have flown off geotex so it'd be great to hear what others think.
For me at least, it's not as easy as I anticipated partly because a geotex runway is way smaller than a grass field when you're lining up and partly because geotex is so drag free compared to grass.
Most of the Board are more experienced than I am and mastered the lining up part faster than me but be prepared for a new huge fun challenge if you haven't done it before! I think when the Board tried Keswick's geotex, Michael managed one landing where he landed on the geotex and rolled to a stop without running off the end of the geotex. I don't think anyone else managed it but we all had huge fun trying!
If your LG isn't aligned pretty well you'll know as soon as you apply throttle for take-off and when you feed in rudder to correct, be prepared for a really strong response...even the experienced guys looked like they were learning to steer first few tries!
To finally answer your question...IMHO the geotex will prove more slippery than grass for your flying boat(s) but my experience has been all you need is silicon spray on the hull or floats and models will leap off ROGO grass far more easily than most wheeled models...there are no wheels to get stuck in the grass! (one of TEMAC's many Kens alerted me to this one)
Two of the flying boats I've been flying fairly regularly at ROGO have high thrust lines and were really sluggish on the grass to the point that one of them wouldn't move on grass and one wouldn't take-off. Add silicon and take-offs are a breeze! (no pun intended) I've enjoyed the waterplane grass field combination so much for the last part of this season that I've stopped taking all but one of my wheeled models to the field...I'm tired of nose-overs and bent retracts! I'm waiting for the geotex for my wheeled models but silicon will get your waterplanes off the grass.

[Papa]

Colin, check out Pat's post on "NeverWet". this stuff might be a great surface treatment for sliding on grass, particularly wet grass.

Jack.

[wollins]

Thanks guys!

Colin

[wollins]

BTW, I just want to personally thank the board for continuously looking for ways to make this a better club. This Geotex runway is just the latest example. We've come a far way since 2003!

Thanks guys!

Colin

[Frank v B]

Bill,

Thanks for taking on the job in mid-stream.  You will do a great job.  Thanks to Greg for having taken the job this far.

Please ignore Piker's request for a mini pond at the south end of the runway.  It would just force him to find better and more spectacular ways to crash. 

Frank

ps: Rob, should I order two name plates for the "Bought the Farm" trophy to cover this year and next year?

[Ededge2002]

" ps: Rob, should I order two name plates for the "Bought the Farm" trophy to cover this year and next year?"

Frank please don't count me out of this contest. I strive to achieve and will keep trying to work towards Roberts very high level.

[piker]

Well.... You never know, but I AM hoping to see someone else's name on that trophy for next year.  I'll be happy to let Ed take the honours next year as I take his racing trophy away from him